USPS Raising Periodical Rates 1.8 Percent For 2011

However, increases are limited to Consumer Price Index cap.

By Matt Kinsman
01/13/2011

The USPS filed new mailing service prices with the Postal Regulatory Commission today, including a 1.8 percent increase for periodicals, starting April 17.

First-Class mail will see a 0.5 percent jump for Single-piece letters and cards, a 5.3 percent increase for flats, a 3.8 percent jump for parcels, a 1.8 percent increase for presort letters and cards and a 4 percent increase for international mail (both outbound and inbound).

The overall Postal increases fall within the Consumer Price Index cap of 1.7 percent. The increase was expected, as the USPS is allowed rates raise rates up to the CPI cap without the permission of the PRC.

Still, that's a far cry from USPS attempts to raise rates 8 percent and increase First Class mail stamps to 46 cents, a move that was denied in September after the PRC said cash flow problems for the USPS are not a result of the recession. The USPS lost $8.5 billion in fiscal 2010, ended September.

The USPS says the price changes will generate $340 million for the remainder of the year and $720 million if implemented over a 12-month period.